TRIEC Mentoring Partnershiphttp://www.mentoringpartnership.ca
Thu, 06 Dec 2018 19:58:20 +0000en-CAhourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.12http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cropped-large_t-32x32.pngTRIEC Mentoring Partnershiphttp://www.mentoringpartnership.ca
3232“Why volunteer? I feel I’m extremely blessed in my life,” Eric Madanhttp://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/2018/12/04/why-volunteer-i-feel-im-extremely-blessed-in-my-life-eric-madan/
Tue, 04 Dec 2018 14:52:18 +0000http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/?p=2667There are many great ways to volunteer and give back to the community. Mentoring a newcomer and coaching them on their professional journeys is just one of those ways. To give you an idea of what’s involved in mentoring, we asked Eric Madan, a Security Strategy & Risk Management Consultant at Accenture and a mentor in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, to share his story.

What makes you keep doing this?

I feel I’m extremely blessed in my life to be where I am today. A lot of people have mentored me, helped me out and gone out of their way when they didn’t need to help me and set me on the right track. In a very few cases I can help those people who have helped me back.

The most important thing is that I help other people. Newcomer mentees have passion, enthusiasm, and are ready to get into the workplace with years of experience where they come from. What they need is just a bit of guidance and help for a better understanding of how things are done here in Canada. Giving them the guidance is a great way for me to give back and pay it forward. It feels like the right thing to do.

Why did you start mentoring through TRIEC?

I wanted to get involved because I believe in giving back and paying it forward. I think I’m extremely blessed and fortunate with a lot of good luck in my life. If there is anything I can do to help someone else, I’m always interested in doing that. Beyond mentoring, I also manage the relationship between Accenture and TRIEC. For example, I help with recruiting other mentors, promoting TRIEC within my organization and organizing meetings and events.

What was the process to become a mentor?

One week after signing up for the program in November last year, I was assigned a mentee. We had an orientation session for mentors and mentees at Accenture. We kicked off our mentoring partnership. We worked together closely. We had a phone call and in-person meetings every week and sometimes more than once a week.

Tell us about the mentoring partnership with your mentee

It was a really nice relationship. He was very enthusiastic, energetic and curious about how to kick-start his career. The first step of our mentoring partnership was understanding his dream job. He wanted to work in a security operations centre as well. There was this fantastic Canadian company in Kitchener Waterloo, which was doing this type of work. He really wanted to get involved with that company. He was able to retain my feedback and guidance, and applied for the job right away. That company in Kitchener interviewed him, and he got the job in the first shot last spring. It was a huge success: the first job he interviewed for was the job he got hired for.

He did all the hard work to get to where he is, but it was a journey we needed to go on together. We learned from each other. It was beneficial both ways. At the end of the day when he got the job, we both felt like we succeeded in what we set out to do. The beautiful thing about the partnership is we still keep in touch and talk. I was able to make a friend and build a lasting relationship.

What are the three biggest takeaways from your mentoring partnership?

First and foremost, it develops you as a leader. It teaches you to be empathetic – you need to have a certain amount of emotional intelligence to understand someone, their story and what their struggles might be right now.

It broadens your perspective on life and the way you look at your own challenges. It develops you as a person and as a professional. You get to learn about different cultures, different thought processes, different ways of approaching problems. It’s a very positive experience, especially in a diverse place like Toronto, with people from everywhere. It’s just fascinating to meet all these interesting people. We can learn from their journeys.

It’s a great way for mentors to increase their own network. You get to meet all these talented and passionate people as well as interact with other people throughout the process of mentoring. It definitely broadens your horizons.

Advice for a new mentee for making the most out of their partnership

The most important thing I learned was that I don’t think mentees necessarily need a lot of help in terms of getting a job. They are extremely intelligent and have a lot of relevant experience and successful careers wherever they have come from. I think what the program is trying to do is provide mentees with those nuances of how things are done in Canada, to help them understand the culture here and make meaningful connections.

LTI Canada, with its ﬂagship product – Unitrax® – a Software-as-a-Service-based transfer agency record-keeping suite, is one of the leading wealth and asset management platforms in Canada. With over two decades of rich experience, LTI Canada has a deep understanding of disruptive technologies and partners with top Canadian ﬁnancial services ﬁrms to accelerate the digital journeys of its clients.

We spoke with Sujata Shetty, Senior HR Executive at LTI Canada, about why they wanted to work with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership and include mentoring as a part of their diversity and inclusion strategy.

LTI Canada prioritizes diversity and inclusion in the IT industry

“At LTI Canada, it is important for us to promote diversity and inclusion. To support this, we have a well-established Women 4 Women Network to nurture a culture of learning, volunteering and networking that supports women to develop professionally and personally. LTI Canada was seeking further opportunities to support our diversity and inclusion strategy, and saw a great opportunity in joining TRIEC Mentoring Partnership.

“We believe in continuous learning, and TRIEC Mentoring Partnership will give our employees an opportunity to experience new perspectives, and help them to connect and network with professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds that will enrich their experiences. TRIEC Mentoring Partnership is also a great way for our employees to build their communication and leadership skills through connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.”

Immigration helps strengthen Canada’s technology sector

“As a leading IT consulting company, LTI Canada relies on finding top talent with specialized experience, and we see immigration as an important part of Canada’s economic growth – particularly in our technology sector.

“Attracting people to Canada who have advanced IT skill-sets and expertise creates the potential for companies to provide end to end services within the country. It also raises Canada’s capacity to be a hub for knowledge sharing between professionals with experience and training gained both in Canada and abroad.”

Employees at LTI Canada are excited to get on board

“I’ve received a lot of interest from staff since we began sharing the opportunity to mentor. I’m excited to see this take off in the organization!”

At TRIEC, we’re excited to have LTI Canada join our community of employer partners, and continue their journey to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’d like to learn more about LTI Canada, visit their website, and follow them on LinkedIn, and Twitter.

]]>New Employer Partner: Osler – “We strive to build a firm that reflects diversity.”http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/2018/05/25/new-employer-partner-osler-we-continuously-strive-to-build-a-firm-that-reflects-diversity/
Fri, 25 May 2018 14:57:32 +0000http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/?p=2582Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a leading business law firm with clients based in Canada, the U.S. and internationally. The firm employs more than 400 lawyers and 650 administrative and managerial staff working together across offices in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, Ottawa, Vancouver and New York. The firm is known for providing innovative and solution-oriented advice in commercial matters, transactions and litigation for some of the world’s largest enterprises and for top emerging start­ups and mid-size companies.

Douglas Rienzo, Chair of Osler’s Diversity Committee, shares what drives the firm to advance its diversity and inclusion program and why they chose to become a partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership.

Osler makes its office culture a priority

“We continuously strive to build a firm that reflects diversity. Not only does it help attract staff and lawyers who are the best at what they do, but it also allows us to better connect with the communities in which we work. Our Diversity Committee works hard to move initiatives forward, be it developing and implementing firm policies, or partnering with programs like TRIEC Mentoring Partnership. We are thrilled to count this program amongst our activities, as it is a great way to connect our Osler community with the TRIEC community.

“Looking at our firm, Osler’s culture is one that celebrates diverse viewpoints and backgrounds. We recognize that welcoming individuals from across the world enables us to benefit from diversity in ideas and perspectives. We firmly believe that welcoming and helping to integrate new Canadians is beneficial not only for Canadian workplaces but also for Canadian society as a whole.

“We were one of the first law firms in Canada to undertake a demographic survey. In 2012, the voluntary, confidential survey asked staff and lawyers to provide information on their gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, and other characteristics.

“The Osler team felt strongly that without a measure of where we were in terms of diversity and inclusion, we wouldn’t be able to move forward in a meaningful way. We’ve repeated the survey every other year, with their latest one happening in the summer of 2018. By tracking our progress over the years, we are able to gauge the success of our various diversity and inclusion initiatives.

“Our goal is, as much as possible, to have our workforce reflect the very diverse communities where we work.”

Osler learned about TRIEC Mentoring Partnership through an employee of the firm

“It was through Harshal Dalal, a member of the Osler team and long-time mentor with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, that Osler’s Diversity Committee learned about TRIEC Mentoring Partnership. After getting more information about the program, the committee agreed that it would be a rewarding opportunity for both staff and legal professionals.

“It’s a great way to connect with our communities, share knowledge and insights about the Canadian job market, and help others succeed. It is inspiring to hear the stories from Osler firm members who have volunteered to be mentors, as many of them can relate to the experience of the mentees, either personally or through their networks.

“We also support mentoring as a pathway for employees to develop their leadership and communication skills, while hopefully learning something about themselves in the process.”

“The feedback we’ve received is that TRIEC Mentoring Partnership is a very worthwhile initiative to implement within the organization, and we’ve already heard from people who want to become mentors in the next session. We’ve had interest from a variety of staff and legal professionals at the firm – from partners and executives to administrative staff across departments – the program speaks to many people who want to help others.”

]]>Herman Chang – “I cannot think of a better way to pay it forward than to be a mentor”http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/2018/05/10/herman-chang-i-cannot-think-of-a-better-way-to-pay-it-forward-than-to-be-a-mentor/
Thu, 10 May 2018 18:46:21 +0000http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/?p=2567

Herman Chang with TRIEC Executive Director, Margaret Eaton

Every mentoring partnership has a story of its own. Herman Chang shared the story of his partnership with Paulo Moraes, a project management professional who moved to Canada from Brazil, bringing with him an engineering degree, an MBA and PMP designation. Herman was impressed with Paolo’s background experience and expected him to find a job without too much difficulty.

Herman, who’s a licensed professional engineer himself and also holds an MBA, decided to become a mentor with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership in 2014. He has held leadership roles in various sectors, including education, public sector, telecommunications and management consulting. Having assisted many new graduates seeking employment, Herman knows that finding suitable employment is not always easy, even for those born in Canada.

Finding the job is the ‘icing on the cake’ for the partnership

Paulo was a highly committed mentee and his project management background came through very early on through his detailed spreadsheet with target milestones and follow-ups that we reviewed together every week.

The first two months went by in a flash, then things slowed down in the summer. Soon, the next two months had gone by and Paulo was still without a job. It was disappointing but we were far from despair. Although my commitment came to an end on September 12, I told Paulo that I would continue to be available to check in informally until at least the end of 2017.

Fortunately, Paulo received a job offer in his field about two weeks after our mentoring partnership ended. It truly was the icing on the cake that Paulo was able to land a job at this time. Even if he had taken longer, I think we’d both agree that the mentoring partnership was tremendously worthwhile.

The job search is ‘a marathon race, not a 100m sprint’

Job searching can be an emotional roller‐coaster. My job was to encourage my mentee through the disappointments of slow responses and missed opportunities that seemed on the surface like a great fit.

It was really important that Paulo and I entered this exercise understanding that this was a marathon, not a 100m sprint. Mental and emotional stamina would be critical. I especially want to thank Janet Gaffney, our coach at Sheridan College, for her encouragement and awesome support, helping us both through the marathon.

We all talk about the need for networking, networking and more networking. This is where we as mentors are invaluable. My responsibility was to set up information interviews for Paulo to meet my connections and I probably drove him crazy saying a key objective of every single meeting was to line up more meetings.

In the end, you just never know which seed you plant will take root, or when. Paulo’s job offer finally came through one of the earliest meetings that he had in the very first month of our mentoring relationship.

We had wonderful conversations

I can tell you that my meetings with Paulo were not just focused on job search topics. We had wonderful conversations about Brazilian politics, social classes, soccer, our families and our life aspirations. Through Paulo, I was able to understand Brazil beyond the images of samba, beaches, the Rio Carnival and Neymar their great soccer player.

I have no doubt that Paulo and I will keep in touch and that he knows that he can count on me for career advice in the future. I have told him that my wish is that he will also become a mentor to a new immigrant when he’s ready.

It was just over 40 years ago that I came to Canada as a new immigrant. Canada has been good to me and my family and I feel truly blessed to live in this great country. I cannot think of a better way to pay it forward than to be a mentor to a new immigrant.

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of consumer goods. With sales in over 190 countries, they reach two billion consumers a day.

By becoming an employer partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, Unilever Canada is living their core values of diversity and inclusion. Gary Wade, President of Unilever Canada, and Diversity & Inclusion Champion, shares why he thinks it’s important for Unilever Canada to be involved.

“As Unilever advances our Sustainable Living Plan, we are helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, halving the environmental impact of our products, and enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people.”

“TRIEC Mentoring Partnership gives Unilever Canada an opportunity to provide support to recent immigrants and build relationships within the Toronto immigrant community. Canada is a country with a strong history of immigration where Immigrants and their children are valued. Immigration has made us more prosperous as a country.”

Mentoring fits with their culture

“Within a city like Toronto that is so diverse, the immigrant community of talent is very important for our business. With diverse talent come diverse perspectives.

“Within diverse communities we’d like to build a mutually beneficial relationship where we are helping immigrant professionals through mentoring and our social engagement, while also presenting ourselves as an employer of choice within their talent pool.”

It’s an opportunity to give back and grow professionally

“There is often a misconception about mentoring programs which is that the mentee is the only one that gains. However, the mentor also often gains by exercising their coaching skills. It’s a professional development opportunity as much as it is giving back to the community.”

Unilever is proud to join TRIEC Mentoring Partnership

“By partnering, our people can appreciate the impact they can make in the lives of a mentee and how it helps them be better coaches and leaders. It is not only a flexible way for people to volunteer their time and give back to their communities, but also to learn valuable skills through the mentoring process.”

For more information about Unilever Canada and its brands visit their website or connect on Twitter @unilever_canada.

If your organization would like to become an employer partner with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, please visit our Employer Partner pageto find out more about what it involves, or email us to set up a time to talk – inquiries@triec.ca.

]]>Six points for being a mentor with TRIEC Mentoring Partnershiphttp://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/2018/02/21/six-points-for-being-a-mentor-with-triec-mentoring-partnership/
Wed, 21 Feb 2018 22:15:55 +0000http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/?p=2506Edna Cuvin is the Program Manager for the Transit Design and Development Unit in Transportation Planning, in the City of Toronto Planning Division. She has been a volunteer mentor with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, since 2010.

It was not so long ago that my family was moving to Canada, looking to re-establish our lives and careers. My husband and I arrived in June 2002 with our two children, aged six and three, and our third child on its way. We moved from Hong Kong where I had worked as a registered architect and urban designer. My husband is also an architect.

At that time TRIEC did not exist and we were on our own with respect to our job search. Looking for jobs was a daunting task – especially with three small children to look after.

Fortunately, the City of Toronto hired me as an Urban Designer in January 2003 on a temporary maternity leave contract. Meanwhile, I had a four-month-old baby at home myself.

Three months later I was offered a permanent position. I could not believe my good fortune, landing a job with the city, working to build the place my children now call home.

I volunteered as a mentor because I was grateful that the City of Toronto employed me in my profession soon after I arrived in Canada. I wanted to be part of this group that conveyed a message of hope to those immigrants who came to Canada like me.

Mentoring also allows me to…

stay grateful.

Being a mentor enables me to appreciate the opportunities I have and remain grateful for those who gave me a chance. It’s my turn to help others. Best of all is the chance to help restore dignity and confidence to mentees whose challenges have created self-doubt and hopelessness.

help advance my profession.

Mentoring allows me to help enable more qualified professionals to contribute to Toronto’s architecture and city-building excellence. I know firsthand the process of proving credentials as part of the Canadian immigration process. This requisite investment should not be wasted!

be a stronger leader and coach.

The first question I help my mentees answer is “What do I have that is marketable?” This helps me in my role as manager to think strategically and recognize the individual strengths of my staff and support them in their own career plans.

As a mentor, I offer…

an honest assessment of my mentees’ qualifications.

In working with my mentees, I confirm local practice expectations. I look for opportunities to include them in meetings and training courses to hear local professionals speak so that they can measure and compare themselves with their professional peers and competition. This also exposes other City colleagues to this great volunteer opportunity.

assistance in developing a career plan.

It’s important to look beyond immediate survival to something more sustainable and professionally fulfilling. I often think about my mentees’ children waiting to be inspired by their parents creating “their great immigrant story” that will be told in their families. The most critical consideration in developing a career plan is how to fund it especially for new immigrants whose immediate concern is supporting their families.

friendship during a time of insecurity.

An immigrant’s journey is an emotional one first. Being detached from everything familiar and defined you is very isolating. I remind my mentees who they are, why they came, and what’s possible. Being an immigrant myself, I offer a testament to the fact that while the journey is not easy, it will be worth it.

Professionals come to Canada highly capable, qualified and eager to contribute and ensure Canada, and the GTA in particular remains a great place to live and raise a family. We need to do our part in fulfilling Canada’s promise. Many of my former mentees have found career success in Canada as Urban Designers, Intern Architects and Project Managers.

]]>Celebrating the Greater Toronto Area mentors who give back to their professional communitieshttp://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/2018/01/31/celebrating-the-greater-toronto-area-professionals-who-give-back-to-their-communities/
Wed, 31 Jan 2018 18:16:38 +0000http://www.mentoringpartnership.ca/?p=2493Toronto, ON – January 31st, 2018. As part of mentoring month, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) is celebrating some of the stars of its renowned mentoring program.

At the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership Annual Recognition Event tonight, TRIEC will present awards to the people and organizations who went the extra mile in mentoring in the past year.

TRIEC Mentoring Partnership finds mentors for recent immigrants to Toronto, pairing them with someone who can expand their professional networks and offer guidance about how the local labour market works. In turn, the mentors learn coaching and leadership skills, and build their intercultural competencies and knowledge of international business– key skills to add to your résumé in today’s global economy.

Among the people receiving awards in 2018 is mechanical engineer Joaquin Milo. He was formerly a mentee in the program, and has now gone on to mentor more than 10 people. “Experience is the best teacher and is a gift that should be shared with others,” he says. For Joaquin, mentoring “is a way to give back to your new country. Some of my mentees have successfully achieved interviews, job offers and their professional designation.”

Since its launch in 2004, TRIEC Mentoring Partnership has matched more than 15,000 newcomers with a mentor in their profession – and the mentors keep coming back. This year, for the first time, TRIEC will be presenting awards in a new category – for people who have mentored more than 20 times.

The event also celebrates the program’s organizational partners who have made outstanding achievements in mentoring. Award recipients this year are Deloitte and RBC, both of whom have provided mentors for more than 500 immigrant professionals from among their staff.

For Deloitte, good things come in threes this year as two of the people who brought mentoring to the organization are also being awarded in the 10 x mentor category. As the hosts of tonight’s event, they will have many reasons to celebrate. “We are proud to be an employer partner in the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership,” says award recipient and program coordinator Daisy Vora, a Partner in Deloitte’s Risk Advisory team. “We are committed to embracing the skills and talents of new immigrants, because we know that doing so will boost our productivity, spur innovation and improve our country’s prosperity.”

“RBC believes diversity and inclusion is an engine for innovation and economic prosperity” says Norma Tombari, Senior Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion. “It is one of our core values and embedded in our culture. Though our participation in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, we focus on helping people succeed, making a positive impact on our clients and in the communities where we live and work.”

TRIEC Mentoring Partnership’s participants and partners are the secret to its success. “We are immensely proud of, and grateful for, the people and organizations who drive mentoring”, says Margaret Eaton, TRIEC’s Executive Director. “Their hard work and energy allows TRIEC Mentoring Partnership to support immigrant professionals to find career success, year after year.”

75% of newcomers who receive mentoring through the program go on to find work in their field. As the number of immigrants landing in the GTA continues to increase, the commitment of mentors and organizations like this becomes more and more important.

About TRIEC Mentoring Partnership

TRIEC Mentoring Partnership is a collaboration of employer and community partners, and operates as a program of TRIEC. TRIEC champions the skills and talents that immigrants bring to the Greater Toronto Area. Funding for TRIEC Mentoring Partnership is provided by the Governments of Canada and Ontario, Ontario Trillium Foundation, RBC Foundation and Manulife.

For more information on TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, please visit TRIEC.ca, mentoringpartnership.ca or @TRIEC on Twitter. Join the conversation with our hashtag #IAmAMentor and #MentoringMonth!

On January 31st, RBC will receive an award for finding mentors for more than 500 newcomer professionals with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership. A longstanding partner in the program, the bank has recently developed a new way of embedding TRIEC Mentoring Partnership in their organization. Angela White, Senior Manager of Diversity & Governance, shares what makes RBC’s approach to mentoring unique.

How does RBC’s involvement in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership align with your organizational values and priorities?

RBC’s purpose is to help clients thrive and communities prosper. This is why we exist and it inspires us to give our best every day. Our values represent what we stand for and what we expect of one another. We are a people business. We care about our colleagues, clients and communities and there is a strong alignment to partnering with organizations like TRIEC who share a similar vision and values.

Why did RBC decide to take a multi-departmental approach to organizing your participation in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?

RBC has been helping newcomers get settled in Canada for over 100 years. As a large employer, RBC has the unique ability to leverage the skills of our broad and diverse employee base. TRIEC Mentoring Partnership provided a unique opportunity for our Global Diversity & Inclusion team to collaborate with our MOSAIC Employee Resource Group to enhance cultural awareness, build self-confidence and broaden their personal development while giving back to the community.

How has this approach been beneficial for the working group team members and RBC in general?

As a corporate citizen we recognize that in order for our communities to prosper our ongoing support must be embedded in the fabric of the community through research, volunteerism, partnerships, sponsorships and education. “Volunteering is a way to connect with new people in the community”, “By volunteering our time, we show we care”…. are just some of the testimonials shared by RBC’ers who give back. Through our participation in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, we honour our commitment to social impact by supporting our employees’ community involvement.

What role did senior leadership play in championing the program at RBC amongst their employees?

RBC has been a long-time advocate and partner of TRIEC since 2005 and both our previous CEO and CHRO have served as Chair and Co-Chairs of its Council. Other senior leaders have been actively engaged throughout encouraging participation, sharing their personal perspectives and experiences as well as providing guidance and to our mentors.

How did you create buy in amongst employees and senior managers?

Participating in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership provided RBCers with real life leadership, coaching and mentoring opportunities. It enabled them to develop cross-cultural communication skills as well as enhance the understanding of the skills, experience and positive impact that newcomers to Canada bring to the Canadian economy.

Why is diversity and inclusion important in doing business in your respective business lines?

RBC believes diversity & inclusion is an engine for innovation and economic prosperity. It is one of our core values and embedded in our culture. We believe in doing more to realize opportunities and address challenges. We also believe we can achieve progress in areas that are under-explored and lead change through ideas and action. Ultimately we focus on helping people succeed, making a positive impact on our clients and in the communities where we live and work.

Click here to learn and find out more about RBC’s diversity priorities and objectives.

They say good things come in threes, and at this year’s TRIEC Mentoring Partnership Recognition Event, hosts Deloitte will have three very clear reasons to celebrate. Not only is the world-renowned consultancy receiving an award for providing mentors for over 500 newcomers, but two people who have been integral to bringing mentoring to Deloitte are also being honoured. Daisy Vora and Baskaran Rajamani are both Partners in the Risk Advisory team – and both will receive an award for mentoring more than 10 times with the program.

Daisy talks about why it’s important for Deloitte to be part of TRIEC Mentoring Partnership, and what she has personally gained from the program.

Why is it important to Deloitte to be an employer partner in the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?

We are proud to be an employer partner in the TRIEC Mentoring Partnership. Our relationship goes back over ten years to 2004. We are committed to embracing the skills and talents of new immigrants, because we know that doing so will boost our productivity, spur innovation and improve our country’s prosperity. At Deloitte we deliberately seek difference, understanding that people with different backgrounds and experiences enrich our workplace culture and strengthen us. We also strive to create a deep sense of belonging where everyone feels they can bring their whole selves to work. We want those who choose to walk through our doors every day to feel not only included, but also inspired. We understand that bringing all voices to the table and ensuring they are heard and embraced, sparks inspiration and creates an inclusive environment—one where employees are valued and feel that they have an opportunity to provide input and lead at every level.

What do Deloitte’s employees gain from being mentors?

Deloitte mentors benefit significantly from their experience. They grow in terms of coaching skills and acquire greater knowledge about the skills immigrants bring to Canada. In addition, they learn about themselves and aspects of their own skillsets that help further develop the mentors’ careers. Finally, mentors experience a renewed or strengthened appreciation for diversity of all kinds in the workforce; as well as, the ability to pause in their daily routine and assist someone in need.

What advice would you give to an organization looking to become an employer partner with TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?

When people connect with others who don’t share their background or experience, everyone benefits; it’s a win-win. For the mentor, mentoring is a great way to learn about the immigrant experience, which opens the door wider to seeing how each of us have unique contributions to make in the workplace. It also further develops coaching and relationship building skills. For the mentee, mentoring is an opportunity to expand their exposure through a wider scope of people in Canada, develop a global mindset and make valuable connections. Taken together, mentoring ultimately helps to foster greater inclusion in the workplace by demonstrating how uniting through our differences strengthens us.

What made you decide to become a mentor?

I am an immigrant myself and went through the cycle to get a job and get settled; it was tough. I want to make that journey easier for others.

Can you share a highlight from one of your partnerships?

One of my mentees ended up getting a job in the US, but still keeps in touch with me regularly. The ongoing relationship is most rewarding.

Has becoming a mentor also helped you succeed in your own career?

I have learnt something from all my mentees. All of them have been so different in terms of background, work experience, culture etc. In my own day-to-day life, being a mentor has helped me work better with a diverse team.

Ali Raza immigrated to Canada from Pakistan in August 2013. With an MBA in Marketing and over 10 years of experience in different industries, he joined TRIEC Mentoring partnership as mentee through a bridging program with Access Employment, in November 2013. Ali now works at TD Bank as an Associate Manager in Marketing Planning.

How Mentoring helped when Ali Immigrated to Canada

“It prepared me to understand the way things work here, how employers review candidates, what is important to employers, and how to create a resume that’s effective. When you arrive in Canada, you are out of your comfort zone; there are lots of things you are not sure of and it builds a lot of questions in your mind. So, you need someone to give you that confidence and reassurance to know that you are looking at things in the right perspective”

Why Ali decided to start mentoring

“I was in an ACCES Employment focus group at TD Bank, where I was asked how I ended up in my position, so I explained. Following the meeting I received an email from someone at TD who inquired if I would be interested in mentoring. I said why not! I wanted to pass on support to another newcomer, as I benefitted from the program when I was a mentee.

The benefits of mentoring

“I am a strong believer in Karma. Canada is a country with lots of new immigrants, and it can be very challenging for newcomers, Mentoring can help them navigate their new home. For the mentor, it’s a great way of developing yourself. “You can act as a guide, an experienced professional and good listener.”

You learn something new, learn about your mentee’s journey, and you make new contacts.

How being a mentor has helped Ali in his career

“It is very different to being a mentee, as you are thinking about someone else’s career and their success instead of your own. When your focus is on the mentee, it surprisingly benefits you. You build new skills in the process and discover this as you go along.”

Advice for a new mentee for making the most out of their partnership

“Mentees need to be proactive. I can help guide my mentee but I cannot do it for them. A lot depends on the mentee to respond to the guidance being offered. The partnership is a two-way process; it’s about engaging the other person.”

Ali’s two tips for a new mentor

“Be a good listener – When you listen, you get some great cues and can identify what is important to a mentee as well as what they are going through. You can also gauge their approach and mindset to the career advice offered. Every person is different and you have to build upon that to help and assist them with their journey”

“Engage with the person – ensure they are fully committed to the partnership. Once you build a relationship of trust and support they are willing to reciprocate, making the partnership worthwhile and effective.”